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LG SAID TODAY it would make correct a “bug” on some of its smart TVs after admitting it sends information about viewers back to the company without their permission.
The world’s second largest TV maker launched an investigation after UK-based IT consultant Jason Huntley raised the issue in a blog post.
He said LG continued to collect information on which channel he was watching even after he turned off the data collection feature.
“We have found some of our smart TVs continue to transmit viewing information even when the function is turned off by the viewer,” a spokesman said. “We are preparing a firmware update to roll out soon that will correct this bug.”
Huntley welcomed move as the “positive step”.
LG’s rival Samsung, the world’s largest TV maker, said its products had not experienced such a problem.
“Samsung takes all concerns regarding consumer privacy and data security very seriously,” it said.
“All of our smart TVs include industry-standard security safeguards and practices to secure consumers’ personal information and prevent its unauthorized collection or use.”
- © AFP, 2013
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This is not good for LG – and I’m a fan of their products. Data protection has a long way to go. Or in Ireland’s case trying to access data held by Government departments has a long way to go.
Well done to that UK blogger though.
Big brother is watching us…..again
What’s worse is that Big Brother will know when we’re watching Big Brother. Or I’m a Celebrity. Or X-Factor. Or any other crappy reality TV programme we claim we don’t watch but actually do.
That’s what worries me most. Will I be disowned when my secret love for Made in Chelsea is made public??
Yes, I’ve just reported your comment for crimes against good taste.
Speak for yourself, I don’t watch any of them programmes you just mentioned, neither does my wife would you believe
“Samsung, the world’s largest TV maker, said its products had not experienced such a problem.”
Wrong!.. I guess TheJournal didn’t hear about the big privacy flaw in august On the new Samsung Smart TV’s .. Some group was able hack the built-in camera and turn it on without you knowing.
I have said it before and I’ll say it again.
The only smart thing about smart tv’s is the smart sales people who convince dumb customers to buy them.
Don’t forget them stupid smart phones, never catch on.
Sales people aren’t that smart, they follow you around a shop like a stalker. Recently when buying a new TV the sales guy in the shop annoyed me so much about the insurance he wanted to flog to me, I complained him there and then to his manager and left the shop without making the sale. I bought the TV elsewhere, hassle free of course.
You don’t even have to buy a Smart TV to have a Smart TV, just by a little USB adapter like the ’4ife Smart Stick’ for €70 and stick in the back of a regular flat screen and hey presto you have a smart tv for a lot less!
Jim Corr, Alex Jones etc are not 100% loons you know….if this was said a few years ago people would have laughed.
Neither talks about aliens but are always associated with that culture to make them look like loons
It’s just the way the world is these days unfortunately – claim that we’re all being ruled over by a species of shape shifting reptilians with absolutely no evidence to support your assertion and people automatically assume you’re a bit of a nut case.
Yea it’s the ones that say that nonsense that make us all look nuts they are planted in the alternative community to do just that
It’s not entirely untrue, I once saw a documentary where Rowdy Roddy Piper single handedly took down the American branch of ruling class aliens using nothing but his bad Ass stoic attitude and a pair of shades!
Good thing he ran out of bubble gum
The only way to Disable it with a sledgehammer.
Or unplug it from the internet, I prefer my alternative, easier on the pocket.
LG also scans any hard drives you plug into it and sends the files names to LG HQ.
I was wondering why my LG tv said ‘Hello Dave’ to my last night
Haha. Sorry Dave I dont want to turn over Dave.
Typical that Samsung try beating LG with a hammer “We include industry-standard security safeguards”, bollix. Never before have a disliked a company to such an extent as my feelings towards Samsung’s lack of customer service, lack of security updates. OMG just look at their FB page continuously updated with ISSUES.
Cation to buyers, read their customer service FB section first
A tv that watches me :-O
I got a heads up yesterday on sky news about this.
I bought an LG monitor once, stopped working in the first hour.
What’s the “best” tv? Plasma/LCD/led?
Plasma.
Can’t fault my LG LED – it’s “dumb” though, don’t see the benefit in connecting everything to everything else.
Whatever one won’t spy on you
Definitely not anything made by Samsung, worst customer service I have ever experienced.
LED, costs less to run, better picture quality than LCD, longer lifespan than a plasma. I’d avoid smart tv’s though, between security issues and the fact that the technology has yet to catch up to the ideas.
Best budget option is LCD longest lifespan and good for plugging computer into and not burning out. good price as sales try to push LED and smart tv. Plasma has shortest lifespan but is the cheapest for extra large tv
have your say